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    Pea Ridge

    National Military Park Arkansas

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Stop 9:  Confederate Artillery-Day 2

Artillery at Stop 9

Virginia Dyer

On the morning of March 8, Van Dorn positioned three of his artillery batteries on either side of the Telegraph Road and prepared to continue the offensive. At 8:00 a.m., a fierce artillery duel began, opening the 2nd day's fight.

The Confederate artillery fire quickly began to fall off though. During the night, Van Dorn had failed to order his wagons forward and now, his artillery was nearly out of ammunition.

The Confederate artillery was driven from the field by a concentrated fire from the Federal artillery with severe losses.

 

"Such an incessant booming of cannon and bursting of shells I had never heard. Large trees were falling all around us, making a man almost as nervous as it would to submit to the extraction of a tooth by some of our modern dentists."

Isaac V. Smith
3rd Missouri Infantry
1st Missouri Brigade

 
Three artillery pieces representing Tull's Missouri Artillery facing the second Federal position.

Did You Know?

A painting by H. Wilson indicates the store was on the east side of Wire Rd., but until recently a stone foundation stood on the west side.

Pratt’s Store was Curtis’ headquarters, a strategic spot at the junction of Wire Road and the Leetown battlefield.  It is uncertain as to whether the original store was on the east or west side of the road.